The
Java Fern has very distinguished characteristics from most other
aquatic plants. More than just beautiful, this plant is quite
undemanding and easy to cultivate, even doing well in lowly lit tanks
and without extra nutrients or CO2.

It's also an ideal plant to use in
setups that contain burrowing or vegetarian fishes, since in general
they will not disturb it. This plant should not be buried in the
gravel, but rather fixed to rocks and driftwood, leaving its roots
loose in the water. The roots eventually attach themselves to the rock
or wood.

When well adapted, it reproduces easily, and the
reproduction is quite interesting: the daughter plants are born on the
edge of the leaves of the mother plant and grow right there, clinging
on it with their little roots.

With time the daughters grow until they
release themselves from the mother, and float around until they get
entangled on something. The hairy roots adhere easily. - Courtesy of Marcos Avila